Between Friends
by joedan84
Summary: When Lana comes to visit, Clark and Chloe find out a horrifying secret that could cost Clark his life. FINISHED!!!! All 12 chapters are up! Don't worry, chapters are fairly short.
1. Thoughts

Disclaimer: To my great dismay, these characters belong to the WB, not me. The plot line is mine, but not the characters.  
  
Author's Note: Lex still lives in his mansion in Smallville. Both Lana and Chloe know about Clark's powers.  
  
  
  
Chapter 1- Thoughts  
  
At home in their Metropolis apartment.  
  
"Guess who's coming for a visit?" asked Chloe with a grin.  
  
"Who?" Clark asked inquisitively.  
  
"Your telescope girl," Chloe teased.  
  
A look of pain crossed Clark's face as he thought of the last time he had seen Lana. Even to this day, more that two years later, he hadn't told Chloe all the details.  
  
"What is it Clark? What's the matter?" Chloe questioned.  
  
"Nothing sweetheart, nothing."  
  
"Hey, I don't buy that invincible Superman façade, you know that. I know when something is wrong with my husband. I've loved you since high school, so I can read you like a book," Chloe stated.  
  
"I love you, baby," Clark said, not really paying attention.  
  
"Clark, tell me what's wrong," Chloe demanded.  
  
"It's just something that happened last time I saw her. Something she said. Everything she said. She blames me for Whitney and Nell's deaths, among other things. She said…" Clark's words died off, his eyes becoming moist.  
  
Two years earlier a fire-starter had started a fire in Lana's home with Nell and Whitney inside. The fire-starter had somehow figured out Clark's weakness and surrounded the house with meteor rocks. Clark couldn't get past them. All he could do was watch the house burn. Shortly after that incident, Chloe and Clark moved to metropolis. But, he couldn't escape the sound of Whitney and Nell's frantic screams reverberating in his ears.  
  
"It's not your fault, my love. Lana knows the meteor strip you of your powers to the point of hurting you. She was just in a lot of pain," Chloe reasoned.  
  
"There must have been something I could of done to save them! Something!" Clark almost yelled, a single tear escaping from his eye.  
  
  
  
Lana couldn't sleep on the bus ride into Metropolis. She kept thinking of Clark, and of the chance she had missed. She could have been so happy with him, but she had been blind and now he was married to Chloe. She knew they were happy. That's why she pushed him away. It was easier to hate him, than to love someone who couldn't love her. She didn't know what she'd say, but she knew she had to tell him everything. Including her big problem. 


	2. Heart-To-Heart

Chapter 2- Heart-toHeart  
  
That night Lana sat in the wing back chair in the Kent's Metropolis apartment. Chloe and Clark sat across from Lana on the couch, Chloe's hand protectively on Clark's arm. Chloe could see the hurt and lost love in Clark's and Lana's eyes, she'd have to be blind not to. She trusted Clark with Lana, he loved only her now and she knew it. That's why she couldn't let Lana hurt him again. She knew they needed to work out all their pain, so she would let them.  
  
"Clark, darling, why don't you and Lana go for a walk while I clean up the dinner dishes?" Chloe suggested.  
  
"That sounds like a good idea," Clark replied, "Let me get my jacket."  
  
As Clark went into the bedroom, Chloe took the opportunity to have a little heart-to-heart with Lana.  
  
"I love and trust my husband, Lana. He's everything to me. You were his first love. You hold a special place in his heart that I can't get into. You are the only one that can hurt him so deeply. He can't handle that again, Lana, and I won't let you try to make him. He may be strong, invincible Superman, but he is sensitive, trusting Clark Kent, too."  
  
"Chloe, I…" Lana started.  
  
Before Lana could finish, Clark returned from the bedroom.  
  
"Ready, Lana?" Clark asked, oblivious to the tension between Chloe and Lana.  
  
"Uh, yeah," Lana said, a bit dazed by Chloe's outburst. 


	3. Lost Thoughts

Chapter 3- Lost Thoughts  
  
"I know you have something on your mind, Lana. Chloe saw it too, that's why she suggested we be alone," Clark explained.  
  
"Are you happy, Clark? Really happy?" Lana asked mysteriously.  
  
"What do you mean?" Clark asked, becoming suspicious.  
  
"I mean are you and Chloe happy together?" Lana rephrased.  
  
"Yes, I am. I love her more and more everyday. When it seems like I can't love her more than I already do, she does something to prove otherwise. She's my life!" Clark replied.  
  
"Do you know why I stayed with Whitney all those years, Clark?" Lana questioned.  
  
"Actually, no," Clark responded hesitantly. He didn't know if he wanted to hear what she would say next.  
  
"Security, Clark. Whitney had always been there, and I knew he would always be there," not quite aware of Clark anymore, she continued, "When he died I realized my mistake. When Whitney was gone, my life didn't fall apart like I thought it would. Instead my heart did, because I realized I didn't need him to be happy. I didn't need him to know I was ok. I didn't need him to define who I was…"  
  
She came back to the present to finish her thoughts, "I needed you, Clark. Not Whitney, you."  
  
As soon as the words escaped Lana's lips Clark tried his best to put a wall around his heart. He could never harden his heart to Lana, but at this moment he wished he could. Still, he had to ask the next question.  
  
"Then why push me away? You knew I loved you, had always loved you. Why do that to me?" Clark was afraid of her answer, but he had to know.  
  
"By then you'd 'found' Chloe. You had moved on like you should have in high school. I was an emotional minefield for you and I knew it. I knew you would have been better off with Chloe instead of me, so I pushed you away. I thought the only way you could truly move on and forget about me was to think that I hated you," Lana said, as if it was a reasonable answer.  
  
"We better get back to Chloe," Clark stated, dreading Lana's next confession. "She'll be wondering where we went off to."  
  
"Clark…I have something important to tell you," Lana tried to no avail.  
  
"Lana, please. I beg you! I love Chloe. I have moved on. Please don't say these things to me. You don't know what it does to me!" Clark said, backing away from Lana.  
  
"Clark, please!?!" Lana pleaded.  
  
"I'm happy. Chloe and I are having a baby. We're gonna name him Alexander. Ironic how times have changed. Now you like me and Lex despises me!" Clark stated, near hysterics.  
  
"Clark,. stop it!" Lana demanded, also near hysterics. She had to let Clark know! She wouldn't have another chance.  
  
Before she could say another word, Clark sped off in the direction of his apartment.  
  
  
  
As Lana started to weep someone stepped silently out of the bushes behind her. He was in his traditional suit and tie. Not exactly the thing to wear hiding in the trees at night, but then again he was Lex Luthor.  
  
"You weren't trying to tell Clark about our little 'secret' were you Lana?" Lex questioned.  
  
Lana whipped around to face Lex. When she realized who had spoken she dropped her eyes, as had become her custom around Lex.  
  
"No, sir. I would never do that to you," she managed to sputter.  
  
She quickly wiped away her tears as a black limousine drove up.  
  
"Get in," Lex demanded, as he opened the door for her. 


	4. No More, Not Again

Chapter 4- No More, Not Again  
  
Chloe sensed something was wrong with Clark as she straightened up the living room. The sight of her husband coming through the door with tears in his eyes only confirmed her suspicion.  
  
He shut the door then swept her tiny form into his muscular arms. She could feel his tears wetting her hair. All she could do to comfort him was to nuzzle his neck and rub his broad back.  
  
He sat on the couch, pulling her onto his lap. He laid his head on her shoulder. With one hand he held her tightly, with the other he stroked her slightly bulging stomach.  
  
She knew Clark would relay to her what had happened, so she didn't ask questions.  
  
******  
  
As Lex stepped out of the limo at his mansion he spoke to his chauffeur, "Jackson, take Miss Lang home and see that she stays home this time."  
  
Back at her home Lana pulled Clark's cell phone out of her purse. Lex had had her phones wired months ago so she couldn't contact Clark, or anyone else for that matter! Lex had been very careful about that.  
  
Lana cursed herself. If she hadn't of upset Clark so terribly, she could have told him what he needed to know. He wouldn't listen to her now, she knew that.  
  
She had to tell him, that's why she had stolen his phone from his apartment. She would have to talk to Chloe. She didn't want to, but with Clark so upset she had no choice! 


	5. Shocking Confessions

Chapter 5- Shocking Confession  
  
When the phone rang late that night Chloe had been the only one there. (Clark had left a few minutes earlier to once again save the world!)  
  
As Chloe answered she thought of the night's events, Lana's visit, her confession, then Clark's breakdown. She had told Lana not to hurt him, but leave it to her to screw it up!  
  
"Hello?" Chloe asked into the phone.  
  
"Chloe, can I talk to you? It's very important," Lana begged.  
  
"You couldn't possibly do anymore harm than you've done, so why not?" Chloe said tiredly, already deciding that she wouldn't like what Lana had to say.  
  
"Chloe, I don't have time for apologies right now. I took Clark's phone. It's what I'm using to call you. I didn't want to steal from you and him, but I had to," Lana explained.  
  
"You already crushed your best friend's heart, and tore him to pieces, why not steal from him to close the deal?" Chloe spat the words like venom.  
  
"I deserve that. I deserve a lot more, but if you don't listen Clark will die!"  
  
"I'm listening!" Chloe pleading for Lana to go on.  
  
All of Chloe's muscles became stiff. *Why isn't Clark home yet?* she thought.  
  
"About six months after you and Clark left Smallville, about one and a half years ago, Lex invited me to his mansion," Lana continued.  
  
"So, as soon as Clark leaves, Lex pounces? How gentlemanly of him to wait a whole six months!" Chloe sneered.  
  
"Chloe, SHUT UP!!" Lana almost screamed, "Don't you understand that Clark might die. He will die, if you don't listen to me! Lex is going to kill him!"  
  
Chloe sat in stunned silence, her mouth going dry. *Clark?!?*  
  
"When I got into the mansion I was escorted into Lex's study. He was sitting at his desk. On his desk was a folder with Clark's name on it, a piece of kryptonite and my meteor necklace," Lana explained.  
  
*Clark, why aren't you here?!? Come home, I need you now!* Chloe willed Clark to hear her pleas.  
  
"Lex handed me the folder with the most hurt and angry look on his face," Lana explained, "When I opened it there was a copy of Clark's adoption papers, a picture of Lex's car after Clark had pulled him from it when they first met, and various notes he had written concerning Clark being the hero at the scene of every 'accident' in Smallville," Lana continued.  
  
Chloe tried to talk but it came out a whisper, "How much does he know, Lana?"  
  
"Everything. I denied it, but Lex had done his research and he knew better," Lana said apologetically.  
  
"Oh, God," Chloe breathed.  
  
"As soon as I found out I tried to contact Clark, when that didn't work I tried to contact the Kents. Lex was one step ahead of me. He had had all outgoing calls from my house blocked, so I could only receive calls. Lex was at my house when the Kents called to chit-chat. He realized that I could still find a way to tell Clark, so he bugged my phone. He said that if I ever contacted you, Clark, or the Kents he would see to it that Clark got hurt," Lana said through tears.  
  
"Then how did you get here, Lana, if he has such a tight hold over you?" Chloe questioned, not sure whether to believe her or not.  
  
"The weekend I came," Lana explained, "Was the anniversary of my parents deaths. They are buried in Metropolis. It had been a year since Lex had cut me off from the world and I hadn't tried anything so he let me go."  
  
"Why would he want to hurt Clark? What did Clark do to him?" Chloe asked.  
  
"Clark was Lex's only true friend. The only person Lex truly cared about. When Lex found out Clark's secret, he knew it meant that Clark had lied to him. That crushed Lex in a way you can't fathom. From then on he vowed to get Clark back for hurting him," Lana answered.  
  
"But how can he kill Clark? Sure, kryptonite weakens him, but take it away and he recovers instantly. Surely Lex realizes that," Chloe stated.  
  
"Yes, but put the kryptonite in Clark, and then you have a problem," Lana explained sadly.  
  
"But…how?" Chloe pressed Lana for answers.  
  
"Lex has come up with a liquid form of kryptonite. He plans on weakening Clark with meteor rocks, then when Clark is too weak to protect himself, injecting him with a syringe filled with liquid kryptonite," Lana admitted.  
  
"No, Lana! You're lying! Please be lying!" Chloe begged.  
  
"Chloe, liquid kryptonite in Clark's bloodstream means he can't just walk away from it. Any injury he gets will have the same effect it would on anybody," Lana explained, "You have to let Clark know. I tried to tell him, but screwed it up!"  
  
"When?" was all Chloe could say.  
  
"I don't know when or where, just soon," Lana told her.  
  
"I can't lose him, Lana! I can't! Oh, God! Not Clark!" Chloe sobbed.  
  
"I have to go now Lana. You needed to know, and I'm sorry there isn't more I can do," Lana said feeling horrible about being the bearer of bad news.  
  
Chloe hung up the phone.  
  
*Where the hell is Clark?!?* She thought. Well, she knew a surefire way to get him home. It would scare the hell out of him, but she had to do it.  
  
"Clark! Help me!! Clark! Clark! Please help me! Help me, Clark!" Chloe screamed.  
  
When he flew into the room she fell into his arms, not able to support herself anymore. 


	6. Don't Tell me!

1 Chapter 6- Don't Tell Me  
  
2 days later…  
  
Ring. Ring.  
  
"H-h-hello?" Lana answered.  
  
"Hey, Lana," Lex drawled.  
  
What could he possibly want?!?, Lana thought to herself, Please leave me alone!  
  
"Today's the day, " Lex said happily.  
  
"For what, Mr. Luthor?" Lana asked puzzled.  
  
"The day Clark dies," Lex replied with a joyful laugh.  
  
*Oh God, no! I've got to stop him…but how?!?*  
  
"Do you want to know how, Lana?" Lex asked.  
  
As if I have a choice!  
  
"Yes sir, Mr. Luthor," Lana replied.  
  
If she got him to tell her specifics she could tell Clark! *Oh, Clark!*  
  
"I see you've decided not to resist me any longer. Good choice. By the way Lana, if your loyalties were to fall to another, I have your house surrounded with my men," Lex almost growled.  
  
"I would have no way to escape, Lex. You have my car and I have no phone in my house any longer," Lana explained. "Besides, I would never do that to you," Lana lied.  
  
"I'm going to lure him to the old civic center where they hold the circus when it's in town. Isn't that the most perfect place for him to die? He acted like such a clown when he was pining for you," Lex jeered.  
  
As Lex told Lana the gory details, she began to sob. 


	7. Fake-Out

Chapter 7- Fake-Out  
  
Meanwhile…  
  
Clark was out of his apartment with the first cry for help. He could tell it was a little girl.  
  
She's in the civic center, how did she get in there? he thought.  
  
He slowed when he entered the room they used for the 3-ring circus. He surveyed the room. There was no one there. He x-rayed the walls and floor to make sure.  
  
I can't see through the ring boundaries, he thought, they must be made of lead. How strange!  
  
As the screams started up again he noticed something in the middle of the main ring. He walked up to it. It was a tape recorder.  
  
What the…he thought, flipping it off.  
  
Before he could finish his thought he began to feel a little queasy.  
  
What is going on?!?  
  
He started to feel worse. It was at that moment that he saw Lex Luthor walking toward him. Lex was tossing a kryptonite rock in his left hand.  
  
"Long time, no see Clark," Lex said with a mischievous grin. 


	8. It's Time

Chapter 8- It's Time  
  
Lana tried to dial the tiny cell phone through tears.  
  
Chloe!! I have to talk to Chloe! Only she can help Clark! Come on Chloe, pick up!! The phone rang three more times before Chloe picked up. I could have been there by now, Lana thought.  
  
"Hello?" Chloe asked cheerfully.  
  
"It's time Chloe! You have to help Clark! Only you can!" Lana cried.  
  
Chloe became serious as her heartbeat quickened.  
  
"Tell me how Lana," Chloe begged.  
  
As Lana relayed Lex's confession Chloe became frantic. She wanted to curl up on the floor and cry. She had to keep it together, she was no good to Clark if she couldn't think straight! 


	9. What You Don't Know Can Hurt You

Chapter 9- What You Don't Know  
  
"Lex!" Clark faked surprise.  
  
"Look, the almighty Superman is trembling. How humbling!" Lex sneered, "You'll be more than trembling when I'm through with you!"  
  
It was then that Clark noticed a remote control in Lex's right hand. Before he could process the thought Lex pushed the big red button. Clark was in the middle of the main circus ring, and as soon as Lex pushed the button the lead sides fell away to reveal kryptonite underneath. Clark immediately fell to the ground. Lex smiled triumphantly.  
  
"Why, Lex? We were best friends. What changed?" Clark could only moan the words.  
  
"It was just a game to you Clark, admit it! Hurt the only decent Luthor. He must be like his father," Lex sneered.  
  
Clark could only listen. The pain was too great and his breathing was too labored to speak.  
  
"As soon as you and Chloe left Smallville I started to put two and two together. You were always at any accident that happened. You were always the hero who saved the maiden in distress. I knew that the meteors affected you somehow because you always got queasy around Lana's necklace. So, when you didn't save Nell or Whitney, and I found the house had been surrounded by meteor rocks I figured it out. You were Superman and the meteors somehow rendered you defenseless," Lex explained.  
  
What does it matter? Clark thought.  
  
"That should be irrelevant, right? So I knew you were Superman, big deal! It was what that meant that counted, Clark. It meant that you had lied to me," Lex said sadly.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Clark gasped.  
  
"You had me fooled for a while. Remember when that Eric boy threw you across the parking lot at school? I was so worried about you! I thought I would lose you! Do you remember what you said to me at the hospital when I cam to see you? You said, 'Did you come to make sure I was really hurt? Do you want to go out in the parking lot and hit me with your car?' Those words cut me deep Clark. Deeper than you'll ever know. I thought I had hurt my best friend. I thought I had lost your trust that I had worked so hard to gain! When I found out who you really were I didn't understand how you could of gotten hurt, so I went and talked to Eric. He told me the truth. You had taken advantage of our friendship, Clark. You used that freak accident to make me look like a horrible friend! I wanted to die the day I found out the truth! Instead, I vowed to get you back for killing me inside," Lex said.  
  
Clark was dumbstruck. "I had no idea, Lex," he reasoned, "I didn't mean to hurt you. I couldn't let you, or anyone else, find out about me. You aren't the only one I had to everyone and it tore me up to do so. I had no choice," Clark tried to explain.  
  
"You did have a choice! And now I have one."  
  
Lex pulled a syringe filled with green liquid out of his jacket, "Do you know what this is, Clark?"  
  
Clark had a pretty good idea what it was and he didn't like his idea! He knew he couldn't overpower Lex with all the kryptonite surrounding him!  
  
"Lex, don't. Let's talk about this," Clark tried.  
  
Lex laughed. "You always were a smart one, Clark! This syringe is filled with my own special blend of liquid kryptonite. It's beautiful, isn't it? Injecting this into your bloodstream will make you as vulnerable as any human…if it doesn't kill you. It's ingenious if I do say so myself…and I do!" 


	10. Mistake

Chapter 10- Mistake  
  
As Lex laughed they both heard a girl's frantic voice.  
  
"Clark? Where are you? Clark?!"  
  
"How absolutely perfect," Lex exclaimed with a clap of his hands, "Now the little wife can watch you die! She lived so long waiting for you, now she can live the rest of her life knowing you slipped through her fingers! My plan gets better every second!"  
  
No! Clark's heart screamed. Chloe, go home! he willed her to hear him, You can't see me like this! Please?!?  
  
Chloe burst into the room. She saw Clark first. At the sight of her husband writhing in pain she yelped and her hands flew to her mouth. Surveying the room she saw Lex. Oh, God! Lana wasn't lying! she thought. She ran to Clark throwing herself in front of him to block him from Lex.  
  
"Nice to see you again Chloe. I was just telling my dear friend Clark here about my plans for him," Lex said.  
  
"I know all about your plans," Chloe growled, "Lana filled me in on all the details."  
  
"Lana?" Clark gasped.  
  
"What?!?" Lex asked, a look of betrayal in his eyes.  
  
Then another voice spoke from behind Lex.  
  
"I couldn't let you kill Clark, Lex. He was so good to me for all those years and I never even noticed. I needed to repay him for pushing him away. I can't rebuild my friendship with him if he's dead," Lana explained, looking longingly at Clark.  
  
Chloe was doing her best to try to protect Clark while cradling his weak body in her arms. If I could just get to the remote! Chloe thought.  
  
Clark was in so much pain he could barely register what was going on. What's Lana doing here? he thought weakly.  
  
"How did you get here, Lana?" Lex asked, not quite sure if she was really there or if he was imagining her.  
  
"Even your men have to sleep, Lex," Lana explained triumphantly.  
  
Lex's eyes gleamed in rage. "I'll deal with you next, Lana" he said, "It's Clark's turn now."  
  
Lex held up the syringe and sending a short stream of liquid onto the ground. Chloe gasped when he started advancing toward them. She tried to cover Clark as best she could but her tiny form was just too small. Clark struggled to put himself between Lex and his beloved wife, but he was too weak to overpower Chloe. Chloe sobbed uncontrollably as Lex approached.  
  
"Shut up, Chloe! I'm not going to hurt you. I want you to live a long life mourning over Clark," Lex sneered.  
  
Chloe stood in front of Clark to try to fend off Lex. She was thrown across the room when Lex's arm connected with her pregnant stomach.  
  
"Chloe…" Clark moaned. He tried to go to her but was too weak to stand.  
  
Lex let out a short laugh as he brought the syringe closer to Clark. At that moment Lana threw herself in front of Clark and into the path of the syringe. Surprised Lex missed Clark and stabbed Lana instead, emptying the syringe into her shoulder.  
  
Lex screamed in agony as Lana fell to the floor at his feet. 


	11. Explanation

Chapter 11- Explanations  
  
Dropping the syringe, remote, and kryptonite Lex fell to the floor, pulling Lana onto his lap and cradling her in his arms.  
  
Chloe took her chance. She flew at the remote, covering the kryptonite once again with its lead casing. She then threw the dropped piece of kryptonite across the room before going to Clark. They held each other as they listened to Lana and Lex.  
  
"Lana! I didn't mean to! Oh, God! Please don't die," Lex begged, beginning to cry.  
  
"Why, Lex?" Lana gasped. It was becoming increasingly difficult for her to breathe.  
  
"When I found out that Clark's friendship had been based on lies I vowed never to be deceived again. You were the only friend I had left and I couldn't stand the thought of you betraying me. I loved you too much to stand being betrayed by you too. I didn't want to lose you," Lex said through blinding tears.  
  
Lana finally understood. With a small smile Lana wiped the tears from Lex's cheeks.  
  
"I forgive you, Lex," Lana said softly. She truly meant it.  
  
"Oh, Lana! I never wanted to hurt you," Lex answered.  
  
"I know," Lana said.  
  
Even as she said it Lex could feel Lana slipping away.  
  
Lana reached over and took Clark's hand. Her last words were meant for Clark, "I'll always be with you," she promised.  
  
Lex screamed again as Lana stopped breathing.  
  
Clark and Chloe held each other close as they wept for their friend. 


	12. Epilogue

Chapter 12- Epilogue  
  
One-week later Clark and Chloe sat eating dinner in their apartment. They were still trying to make sense of what had happened.  
  
"Lex's obsession blinded him to the point that he couldn't see what he was doing to Lana. I think he truly loved her, he just didn't know how to trust her," Chloe reasoned.  
  
"Well, he won't have to worry about that anymore," Clark said quietly.  
  
Chloe stood up and walked to stand beside him. "With him safely in jail none of us will have to worry about him anymore," Chloe said.  
  
While Lex was being arrested Clark insisted that Chloe see a doctor to make sure she was okay. While Chloe was being examined Clark had been called away to deal with Lana's body. While he was away Chloe had been told shocking news.  
  
"Clark, while I was at the doctor he told me something interesting," Chloe struggled to find the right words.  
  
"You said you were okay. What's wrong?" Clark said, reaching up to place a hand on Chloe's stomach.  
  
"Nothing's wrong," Chloe assured him.  
  
"Then what is it?" Clark questioned.  
  
"The doctor said we are having twins. A boy and a girl," Chloe explained. "I've been thinking about names and I want to name the girl Lana," Chloe said not sure what his reaction would be.  
  
Clark beamed, picking her up and whirling her around before he answered. "That's a wonderful idea, Chlo!" he said, kissing her deeply. 


End file.
